Vehicle interiors utilize various types of decorative components to provide a desired aesthetic. Certain types of materials and components, such as leather or genuine wood trim, may traditionally provide a vehicle interior with a luxurious feel because the cost of such materials is usually high, making them affordable only to purchasers of expensive vehicles. One distinctive feature of leather trim materials is what may be termed a “cut-and-sew” look, where pieces of leather material are hand-sewn together, often with decorative stitching, to form a covering to fit the contours of various types of interior components. Some efforts have been made to simulate such a hand-sewn look to make it more affordable for use in less expensive vehicles.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,382,398 to Draxlmaier is directed to the use of a recess or rib that is used to guide a sewing operation during manufacture of a padded interior component with stitching. The rib facilitates accurate location of the stitching along the proper line. One embodiment of the Draxlmaier reference includes an abutment fabric embedded within the cushioning foam layer that the stitching extends through. Draxlmaier does not describe any purpose for the abutment fabric, but it may help to retain the stitching at its lower end within the cushioning foam.